Some Day - Face to Face

When I was a young sergeant in the Air Force I was stationed in Turkey on a remote assignment.  My family had to remain at home for the year I was away.  Each day I longed desperately to return home to my family.  I longed for the happy reunion when I would see them face-to-face.   

In this episode if reflect on the hymn Face to Face and the powerful promise it proclaims. Together, we explore what it means to live with a confident hope that one day faith will become sight as we stand before Christ. This episode encourages us to press forward with purpose, endure with faith, and remember that we are all moving toward a promised moment when faith becomes sight as we stand in the presence of the Savior we love. 

Transcript

Speaker 0:03

Hello friends, I'm your host, Dr. Dave Leighton, and thank you for joining me on our journey to hope. This podcast is a place where together we explore how to discover, sustain, and sometimes regain hope. Wherever you're listening, let's take a deep breath, open our hearts, and continue this journey towards hope. And remember, no one walks alone.

Speaker 0:37

Have you ever longed for a moment so deeply that words just couldn't quite capture it? Not just long for it, but felt it somewhere deep in your soul. There's a hymn that captures that longing in a powerful and beautiful way. It's the old hymn face to face.

Speaker 0:55

And in this episode, I want to walk through it and look at what it means to live in that hope that points us forward to meeting our Lord someday. Because at the heart of this hymn is a promise, promise that carries us forward.

Speaker 1:12

The hymn face to face was written by Carrie E. Breck, and the music was composed by Grant Colfax Tular in the late 1800s. The opening line says face to face with Christ my Savior. Face to face, what will it be?

Speaker 1:30

That question is personal. What will it be when we stand before Christ? We all understand what it means to long for something. We look forward to reunions, we anticipate moments of joy, and we hold on to hope during seasons of difficulty.

Speaker 1:50

But this hymn points us to something greater than all those combined. It points us to the day when faith becomes sight.

Speaker 2:00

The hymn draws heavily from a promise found in Scripture. First Corinthians chapter 13, verse 12 says For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.

Speaker 2:16

So right now we walk by faith. We trust, we believe, we follow, but we do not yet see fully. There are questions we still carry and there are struggles we still endure. There are moments when clarity feels just out of reach, and yet the promise remains.

Speaker 2:38

A day is coming when we will see him clearly and face to face. Well the hymn continues Only faintly now I see Him with a darkening veil between. That veil represents our present reality.

Speaker 2:57

We catch glimpses of God's presence when we experience His love and when we see His work in our lives. But it is not yet complete. Well then the song gives us a turning point. It says But a blessed day is coming when His glory shall be seen.

Speaker 3:18

That is hope, not wishful thinking, not uncertain possibility, but confident expectation rooted in our faith in Christ.

Speaker 3:29

That's the core definition of true and lasting hope. This hope is not just about the future, it shapes how we live right now. Because when we truly believe that we will one day stand face to face with Christ, we begin to live differently. We hold on to hope more tightly and we endure hardship more faithfully and we love others more deeply because we know where the journey leads.

Speaker 4:03

There is something powerful about the phrase face to face. It speaks of relationships. It's not about simply seeing Christ, it's about being there with him. We may not see everything clearly today, but we are walking toward a moment where all things come into focus. Every step we take in faith brings us closer to the day when we will see our Savior face to face. And in that moment, every question will rest in his presence.

Speaker 4:39

As we continue this journey together, let's hold on to this truth. We are not wandering aimlessly, we are moving toward a destination. It's a promised meeting, a moment of perfect clarity, perfect peace, and perfect presence. And until that day, we walk by faith, we encourage one another, and we keep moving forward together in hope.

Speaker 5:08

So take a few quiet moments today and through this week and reflect on what it means to one day see Christ face to face. How does that shape the way we live today? And who can we encourage with that hope?

Speaker 5:25

Well, friends, thank you for walking this journey with me. Until next time, let's keep moving forward together towards hope. If this episode encouraged you, share it with someone who may need hope today and remind them no one walks alone. And remember, in all things, we give glory to God our Father.